


Memories

by bittenfeld



Category: Invasion America (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, bondmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-09 00:41:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4327248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bittenfeld/pseuds/bittenfeld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>a tiny one-page unfinished bit.  Cale must leave his Earth home and family, Rita and David, to return to the war.  But he knows that his dear friend, Rafe, will remain behind to guard them – and as Tyrusian custom allows – if requested, his intimate bondmate may share more than that with Rita…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Memories

Fondly Cale ruffled the toddler’s hair, as pure black as his own, then stood to take his wife’s hands. Gently he kissed her. “My beautiful queen,” he whispered, as they stood, holding hands, gazing at each other, trying to fill a life’s worth of memories into their final moments. Clinging to his mother’s skirt, two-year-old David stuck his thumb in his mouth and stared up wonderingly at the adults.

Warmly Rafe watched the family. Within an hour the Ooshati cruiser would arrive to take Cale back to the war, and the gods only knew when – if ever – the four of them would be together again.

“My dear one,” Cale was murmuring, “I grieve leaving your bed empty. That would never be my wish.”

“It’s all right, dear,” Rita pretended, and forced a smile even as tears moistened her cheeks. “I’m the wife of a soldier. It’s the lot of military wives everywhere.”

“Well, perhaps,” Cale replied, “but I want to let you know,” – and he glanced briefly over at Rafe standing patiently by – “on Tyrus, there is a custom. When a warrior is both bonded and married, if he is lost, it is acceptable – and indeed expected – for his bondmate to care for his widow… in all ways, if the bondmate is unmarried – even including marriage, if the two wish it.”

“But you won’t be lost. You’ll come back to me.”

“I pray to the gods that is true as well. But… if it is not – and I fear you may never learn if some­thing does happen to me – I want you to know that if ever you wish Rafe to take my place, that is fully acceptable to me.”

“No, dear,” she insisted, “I’ll wait for as long as it takes.”

Then Cale turned a quiet smile on the older man, rested a hand on his shoulder. “Rafe, my dear friend. You have been everything to me – protector, teacher, guide… and lover. I fear I have cheated you of the privileges that were yours by a bondmate’s rights…”

“No, my liege,” Rafe disagreed. “We spoke of this before. You know I chose to surrender those privileges when the two of you married.”

“Still…”

Rafe knelt to one knee, head bowed. “My liege, until you return, I will guard and support the family in your stead, financially and materially. I would never presume more; however, if my queen requests anything, I will serve her in any manner she asks.”

“Well, I want the two of you to know you have my blessing... whatever may occur.”

. . . . .

 _to be continued_... _someday_ …


End file.
